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Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science & Technology - Newsletter
file:///Y|/News_Letters/Newsletters/OK%20Innovations/2012-03%20OCAST.html[3/19/2012 11:26:13 AM]
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Oklahoma Innovations - OCAST's Official Newsletter
March 2012
SEVEN QUALIFY, OCAST PLANT SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM
Seven researchers, representing the Samuel Roberts Noble
Foundation, Oklahoma State University and the University of
Oklahoma, collectively were awarded $655,509 for up to two years
of research.
Officials at the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science
and Technology said the winning applicants were chosen from a
field of 31. Independent peer reviewers approved another 20
applicants for funding; however, the agency has money only for the
first seven ranked projects.
All seven of the awarded contracts represent basic research.
Plant science research targets those research activities occurring in higher education, nonprofit
research institutions and private enterprises. The projects have potential commercial application and
concern plant productivity, renewable biomass, plant-based environmental applications and chemical
platforms, plant-based solutions to improve nutrition, human and/or animal health or performance,
process applications and seed management and the development of new products and services that
shall form the basis of new, high-technology plant science/ agriculture industry for Oklahoma.
Successful applicants include:
Ardmore
Molecular Biology
Rujin Chen, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. Title: Elucidating the regulatory mechanism
controlling dissected leaf architecture in Medicago truncatula. This research project aims to
find the regulatory mechanism that controls the structure of dissected compounds (leaves)
and growth of petioles in Medicago truncatula for improvements in alfalfa as a forage
legume. Knowledge gained from this project may lead to improvements of elite alfalfa
cultivars for high density production and improved profitability for farmers and ranchers.
Award: $100,000
Seeds
Jerome Verdier, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. Title: Functional genomics of legume
seed size/yield. Food security is a major issue and legumes rank second only to cereal
grasses in importance to humans as a source of food, feed for livestock and raw materials
for industry. This project aims to functionally characterize four independent mutant lines
displaying significant changes in seed size. Benefits could include increased seed yield,
with proteins, lipids or health-promoting secondary metabolites stored in legume seeds.
Award: $95,500
Norman
Genomics and Genetics
ABOUT OCAST CALENDAR OF EVENTS PROGRAMS PROGRAM SUPPORT PUBLIC INFORMATION

Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science & Technology - Newsletter
file:///Y|/News_Letters/Newsletters/OK%20Innovations/2012-03%20OCAST.html[3/19/2012 11:26:13 AM]
Home Contact FAQs Request Notifications Site Index
Newsletter Signup
September 2010
March 2011
May 2011
August 2011
December 2011
Home > Public Information > Newsletter
Email | Print
Oklahoma Innovations - OCAST's Official Newsletter
March 2012
SEVEN QUALIFY, OCAST PLANT SCIENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM
Seven researchers, representing the Samuel Roberts Noble
Foundation, Oklahoma State University and the University of
Oklahoma, collectively were awarded $655,509 for up to two years
of research.
Officials at the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science
and Technology said the winning applicants were chosen from a
field of 31. Independent peer reviewers approved another 20
applicants for funding; however, the agency has money only for the
first seven ranked projects.
All seven of the awarded contracts represent basic research.
Plant science research targets those research activities occurring in higher education, nonprofit
research institutions and private enterprises. The projects have potential commercial application and
concern plant productivity, renewable biomass, plant-based environmental applications and chemical
platforms, plant-based solutions to improve nutrition, human and/or animal health or performance,
process applications and seed management and the development of new products and services that
shall form the basis of new, high-technology plant science/ agriculture industry for Oklahoma.
Successful applicants include:
Ardmore
Molecular Biology
Rujin Chen, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. Title: Elucidating the regulatory mechanism
controlling dissected leaf architecture in Medicago truncatula. This research project aims to
find the regulatory mechanism that controls the structure of dissected compounds (leaves)
and growth of petioles in Medicago truncatula for improvements in alfalfa as a forage
legume. Knowledge gained from this project may lead to improvements of elite alfalfa
cultivars for high density production and improved profitability for farmers and ranchers.
Award: $100,000
Seeds
Jerome Verdier, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. Title: Functional genomics of legume
seed size/yield. Food security is a major issue and legumes rank second only to cereal
grasses in importance to humans as a source of food, feed for livestock and raw materials
for industry. This project aims to functionally characterize four independent mutant lines
displaying significant changes in seed size. Benefits could include increased seed yield,
with proteins, lipids or health-promoting secondary metabolites stored in legume seeds.
Award: $95,500
Norman
Genomics and Genetics
ABOUT OCAST CALENDAR OF EVENTS PROGRAMS PROGRAM SUPPORT PUBLIC INFORMATION